German President Joachim Gauck will boycott the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, according to a report Sunday.

The announcement would make Gauck, a former pastor, the first major political figure to boycott the Games, which will be held at the Black Sea resort in February.

According to a report in the German publication Der Spiegel, Gauck made the decision in protest against human rights violations and the harassment of Russian opposition political figures. The magazine said the Russian government was informed of his decision last week.

The German presidential office could not be reached for comment Sunday. Russia’s Presidential Press Service said there was no immediate official reaction to the report.

Germany’s presidency is largely ceremonial; Chancellor Angela Merkel oversees the government.

Some athletes have spoken out against Russia’s new “propaganda” law that bans even discussion of homosexuality anywhere that children might hear it.